Fate Is Made, Not Written
by Eternal Session XIII
Summary: A few decades since Nightfall in Elona. A young man washes up onto the shores of Istan, found & brought into Istani, Sunspear, & Elonian culture. As he explores this continent, he explores who he is in all aspects of life & place in it. Please Review!
1. Chapter 1

Fate Is Made, Not Written

Chapter I – The Beach

Push and pull. Ebb and flow. Eyes closed. He felt his remaining clothes being tugged at by the current. It felt as though he was near land. Tossed and thrown about by the thrashing flow beneath the surface, he could barely breathe. Finally regaining consciousness, he began flailing and soon felt a pain in his leg. The shoreline was coming closer as the waves spat him towards dry land. His floundering arms began picking up sand from the shore, as he got closer. With one final wave, the ocean threw him on land. The shallow water waxed and waned around him as the ocean pushed and pulled. The warm, dry sand stuck to his back, arms, and to the remaining sheet around his waist. He lay there, barely able to stay awake. The sun was warmly beating down from above. All of a sudden a silhouette of a head appeared in front of the sun. It looked as though it has wings. He reached out to grab the figure, but alas, spent of energy, he passed out.

The smell of burning tinder filled the air as a campfire blazed. Crackling away, the fire burned, maintaining light as the sun began its descent beneath the horizon. A soft breeze blew across the beach, the nearby trees and foliage waved back and forth as the air blew through them. It was still warm from the daytime sun, but the natural cooling of the ocean began to seep up from the sea. He began to stir, feeling the mat made of giant leaves underneath him. His eyes slowly began to open, with blurry sight. Blinking a few times, his senses were coming back to him as he woke.

"Ahai", murmured a voice. He sat up to gaze upon a rotund, middle-aged man sitting across the fire pit from him. "Well son, you sure have been through quite an ordeal, haven't you", the voice continued "A whole day an' a half, keehee" the man chuckled softly. "If only I had the time to sleep as much as you, ooooh boy, that'd be certainly sweet".

"Where…where am I? Who am I?" the young man who had just awoken asked timidly. Rubbing his eyes, he yawned and let the needed fresh air fill his body. He looked down to see small cuts around his arms and on his torso. His eyes went further, and as he saw the frayed gray sheet that covered his waist down, a piece of white cloth was tried around this left calf and wrapped around his shin. The sharp pain returned to his leg that sleep had forced him to forget. "What…what happened to me?"

"Well now, that" the man replied, "is a question for my nephew right here" as he pointed at the ground to his right to a tan, blonde haired boy, sound a sleep on a leaf mat, palm fronds covering him. The young man's head matched the silhouette shape that was seen before consciousness was lost. The man proceeded, "he has been caring for you since you washed up on the beach. For now, let us let him rest; after all he deserves it for providing a constant and careful watch over you. As to where you are, this is the crescent island of Istan" said the man as the last slice of sun slid beneath the horizon. "The answer to who you are, we were hoping to find that out from you when you woke. My nephew found you whilst in daily fitness training as he and his comrades were running on the beach. They saw you washed up on the shore from a short distance away and ran up. My nephew Antony instructed that it was his duty as First Spear of his squad to deal with the situation and insisted that the rest of the group carry on with training, save his Second Spear to go get me. I was not able to get here right away, and I have not been here long to watch over you, for the most part it was Antony. I guess you got here by the sea washin' you up to shore. You do have a right nasty cut on your left leg though under those bandages. In your tumble in the sea, some shells or part of the reef might have cut you. You must have been spun around quite a bit too with all those small cuts on your body, but not to worry, they will heal in time. However, in answer to your question as to who you are, I respond with a question, who are you?"

"I don't know", replied the young man with the cut leg, "all of my memories are gone…seems I no longer have a name. Which reminds me, what is your name?"

"Name's Mstembe, but you can call me uncle. And you got no name, right? Well let's give you one then. Everyone has to have a name, 's not just a label, it is a title after all!" he said, handing the boy a pouch filled with water.

"I washed up from the beach, seemingly forgotten, what do I need a name for?" the cut boy asked. He took a drink from the pouch, the fresh water felt good on his parched throat.

As he stoked the fire, Uncle replied "Each person leaves a mark on this world, no matter who they are. Could be a good mark, or bad. Either way, you leave behind a legacy. You leave behind a new age. You leave behind a way of life. You leave behind morals for others to look up to. Either way, what you leave behind is a truth that will be seen by your name. Our past leader, who delivered us from a wretched age, brought forth a new one as she left her morals and values and became a god. Kormir, became the goddess of truth as she lead us to a new age of peace and light, away from darkness and secrets. We associate this new age to her and her name and what she brought to our people. That is why you will have a name young one."

"This...Kormir you say, she sounds as though she is a saint, yet god and human at the same time"

"Yes", Uncle continued, "as she made her sacrifice to seal the dark god Abbadon, in death, she found truth and became a god. I know, we shall fashion you a new name, in honor of Kormir. Now let's see… Kom…Komme… Keena….Kimra.. Kii…Kal…Kai….Kai! That's the ticket! You shall be known as Kai.

"I guess…why not? If it is an honor to Kormir, it sounds alright to me", the young man said softly.

"Sounds good", chuckled a happy Uncle in full agreement. "Anyway, as to where we are exactly, no, this is not our home, it is just a makeshift camp due to the circumstance. Antony and I live on the edge of town; it's not far from here, but far enough to not make it there tonight in your state. It's a small farmhouse" he said contently, "It is nicely located near enough to the beach yet enough in the jungle to grow mango which we sell at the marketplace. Once you have recovered enough you'll come to the farm. For now, sleep; you are still exhausted from your chaotic arrival. You need to heal, so get some rest."

"I do feel like I got kicked by a centaur…" Kai said in agreement. Following Uncle's advice, he lied back down onto the giant leaves and shut his eyes. Kai laid still, his mind swarming with the light shed on what exactly happened to him. He took in the surroundings with his four other senses to try and put his mind at ease from what had just taken place. He listened to the waves tenderly falling on the shore, smelling the ocean and burning embers on either side while feeling the warmth and cool on their respective sides. He could still taste the seawater in his mouth, wanting it to go away. 'A new name' he thought to himself wondering what exactly would ensue in his new life. Kai inhaled deeply as the surroundings registered in his mind. He heard Uncle mutter something to himself about the farm and mangos as exhaustion set itself in. The cool breeze flowed through his hair as he drifted off to sleep, ready for the next day and a new life.


	2. Chapter 2

Fate Is Made, Not Written

Chapter II – Nightmares and Daybreak

Mist everywhere. It was like living in the center of a cloud. Kai stuck his arms out in front of him to find his way as he walked, virtually blind, through the thick mist. He kept walking carefully, placing each step with precision into the unknown. Fog began to set in, mixing and melding with the mist, forming a haze so thick it was impossible to see a foot in front of him. He continued to walk forward, into the unknown. The further he walked, the denser the haze became. Soon it became harder to breathe. With each step he took, each breath began to suffocate him. All of a sudden the cloud lifted instantaneously to reveal Kai totally submerged in the ocean. He could feel the water swishing and swirling on his skin, swallowing him whole. Kai could see the faintest glow of light from the sun above the surface. He tried to swim upwards, but to no avail. The riptide pulled him under. All of the remaining air was leaving his lungs. Kai's body ached in pain. It felt as though six knives were stabbing his abdomen as he was being crushed between boulders on all sides. This was it. He was going to drown. He knew it in his heart as water consumed him inside and out. Just as the pain was about to annihilate him, his eyes shot open as he bolted upright. He was drenched in sweat, the fire still radiating burning heat from its embers next to him. Breathing heavily, he tried to force himself to understand that it had just been a dream.

Calming down, he looked around. Uncle was gone and he remembered uncle saying something about mangos. He concluded that Uncle had gone to the farm to fetch food. It was still nighttime and he could see Antony motionless and fast asleep. Kai feared he would be plagued by the nightmare again. He picked up he giant leaf mat and moved it to the other side of Antony. He felt more comfortable near his rescuer, not wanted any memory of his traumatic experience. Kai settled back down and laid back, his body half lit by the fire, half in darkness from the light. His head against the leaf cushioned by sand, he fell back to a relieving sleep.

Morning was upon them; the fire had burned through its supply of wood and the rising sun, had already put some distance between itself and the horizon. As the sun began to bake through the morning fog and began to shine its rays onto the beach. Antony began to stir. He felt his body starting to get going as he sat up, rubbing his eyes. Blurrily blinking, he yawned, stretched and put his feet in the sand. Antony peered over the fire pit only to be shocked that the person he rescued was no longer where he had been lain down to recover. With sudden franticness, Antony looked around to the left and to the right, fearing something had happened to the pour soul. He heard a leaf mat rustling behind him. He turned around to find the young man that he had rescued moved to the other side of him for some reason. Stretching his arms, Kai tiredly said "good morning."

Relieved, Antony replied "good morning. Now that must have been quite the rough house at sea, wasn't it?"

"Yes… it was. Th-thank you for coming to my aid, though we don't know one another" Kai replied timidly and graciously.

With a solid voice Antony said, "As a Sunspear, it is my duty to help someone in need. Elona has suffered enough, we must come to people's aid when it is needed."

"I see. Well, I am indebted to you, and I shall come to your aid should you need it." Kai said. He continued, "While you were asleep, I woke up for a while. I have no recollection of who I am or anything other than waking up in the ocean, on the verge of drowning, then washing up onto the beach before seeing what I am pretty sure was your head surrounded by what looked like wings. Of course I couldn't see very well from the salt water in my eyes and the sun blinding me. When I had finally awoken, I met your uncle. We talked for a while. Inspired by someone named Kormir, we crafted a name for me in honor of her. So in other words, hello, my name is Kai. Thank you for saving my life." Kai felt relieved, yet experienced a sinking feeling in his chest as he waited for a response from his savior.

Antony replied, "As I said, it was and is my duty to." He stuck out his hand to shake Kai's "I am guessing you haven't eaten or had much to drink the last few days. Come, let us find water; there should be some not far from here." The two set off into the brush. "So you really don't remember a thing from before your ocean experience?" questioned Antony as he lifted a hanging tree branch out of the way.

"Nope. Not a thing" replied Kai. "All I remember is seeing what I am pretty sure was you before I passed out. If it was you, what were those glowing wing like things and those spikes?"

"I can explain it all. It may not make much sense, but it will in time as you learn more about the way of life in Elona and in the world as well." Antony took a deep breath in preparation of what would be a lengthy explanation. "In this world some people are gifted with magic, some are skilled with the sword or arrow, some even knives. I myself am skilled in the spear and the duties that come with it. I am what is known as a Paragon. Paragons are the guardian angels of Elona. We are the shining beacons of hope in battle and across the continent. In our roles, we call upon the will and deliverance of the gods to ensure a tomorrow for all living things. As we chant, and call upon the strength of the gods, we feel wings on our backs, lifting us up to shed light upon darkness and banishing terror of all forms away. It is the paragon's true hope that through chant, motivation, and leadership that one day these wings become real."

Intrigued, Kai said, "So what exactly does one do as a Paragon, or any of these, I don't know what to call them… professions?" as they pressed forward through the brush looking for water.

"Well, of the three nations of Elona: Vaabi, Kourna, and Istan, Istan is the only country without a formal government or military. Those of us who bare gifts, talents, or skills and are also native to Istan join the Sunspears. The Sunspears are designed to protect the Istani people and Istan itself from corsair strikes and raides, invasion from any other nation, and from any unknown force. You train and train and fight in order to ensure Istan and its people's survival. Not long ago, the Sunspears took part in saving the entire world from Abaddon, the forgotten sixth god of secrets. In his defeat, Kormir replaced him as a god, and took his seat as a true god. She now watches over us, and the Sunspears follow her teachings to have a good chance of the world making it to see the next day." Antony replied. He gazed through a tuft of leaves hanging from a tree. A glimmer caught his eye and he focused in on a shimmering stream. He walked over to the stream and bent down and began to cup water to his mouth with his hand. Kai followed suit next to him. Antony could tell that Kai was thinking and interpreting the information.

"I see", Kai stated. He continued, "It looks as though I have a blank slate. I wonder if I could become a Sunspear. I was helped; I guess I should be someone who helps others. After all, I should be dead now, but thanks to you helping me I'm not. It only seems right if I do the same for others. Now, I wonder if I am gifted or skilled enough to be one. I guess I have a lot to learn though. Gods and professions, and once I find a profession, that is if I am suited to be one, it's a lot to learn. I hope I can find all this information."

Antony chuckled, "Not to worry, Uncle knows all about all that stuff. He has been around a while, so he does know what he is talking about. Come on let's head back to camp. I bet Uncle is waiting for us." The two walked back to camp to find a cheerful Uncle with six mangos cut apart.

"Ahai! My extraordinary nephew has returned. I went back to the farm and picked some mangos for us for breakfast. They should be perfectly ripe." Uncle said.

"Good morning Uncle, they look delicious", said Antony cheerfully while grabbing some mango. After taking a bite, he said "I have begun to tell Kai everything about the way of life on Istan, perhaps you can tell him further of everything, you are exceedingly more knowledgeable about it than I. By the way, thanks for taking night duty last night, I was exhausted."

"No trouble at all, and I would be happy to" Uncle said. "But for now, let us enjoy this wonderful fruit that Melandru has provided us with. We'll start teachin' this young man all there is available to him when we get back to the farm."

Overwhelmed, Kai said, "Th-thank you…Thank you very much. It is so kind of you to take me, a washed up wanderer, in."

The three continued to eat the mangos, enjoying each bite of the succulent fruit. It was around midday by the time they had finished. The campsite was ready to be disassembled and given back to the forest. Antony moved the fire's barrier of rocks back into the forest as Kai dragged the leaf mats back into the forest. Uncle started digging holes in the forest to deposit each of the mango pits in, knowing that in time they would grow to be in the forests family. Now it was time to move on. Uncle and Antony gathered up their things as Kai sat on the sand, his hands on his knees, and his toes sifting the sand as he gazed at the sea. Uncle nodded to Antony and walked up behind Kai, setting his hand on Kai's shoulder. Kai looked up, and Uncle nodded at him. He stood up and followed Uncle silently as Antony walked next to him. They traversed through the jungle, hopping over small streams and bending under low branches. After a while they had finally gotten out of the thick of the brush and the foliage became sparser. They continued to walk and eventually came across a beaten path. They had reached the outskirts of civilization, which meant they were close to the farm.

At last it came into view, the lines of the mango orchard and its shed, the wooden fence, & the cottage. They reached the farm, for Uncle and Antony is was a return, but for Kai it was a new home. Kai surveyed the property. In front, there was a medium sized orchard. The leaves of the trees were green and mangos were growing on all of them. The cottage was small and had two stories with a chimney poking out the top. On the bottom level a wood porch surrounded the perimeter and there was a small table with two chairs by the front door. There were a few windows on the bottom and top levels, probably to help control the humidity levels from the forest and from the nearby sea. What was the most intriguing was the stream running behind the house. There was a water wheel in the stream, using the picked up water and diverting it to a watering system in the center of the mango grove. Kai felt a warming sensation in his chest. He was looking at something stable, something neither he nor his surroundings had had since he found himself drowning in the ocean.

They walked up and into the house. The bottom level had a kitchen and a living room with a fireplace close to the kitchen. The living room had a table and four chairs along with a large seat facing the fireplace. It had lots of Istani art and few plants along the walls. "Antony, show Kai the upstairs" Uncle said.

"Sure thing Uncle" Antony responded. Antony walked up the stairs and Kai followed him. "So there are two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Uncle has his own room and so do I. You can sleep downstairs or in my room, it's your choice" Antony explained. "Trust me though, you do not want to sleep in Uncle's room. The man could snore a rock awake" he said chuckling. Kai let out a small laugh. They walked into Antony's room. A spear rack, holding a few well-crafted spears was on one wall and next two it was an armor rack holding different pieces of a set. The chest plate looked interesting. It didn't cover the abdomen, most likely for efficiency when throwing a spear. Strangely, it looked as though wings were trying to form on the top. As for beds, there were ropes hanging from the ceiling rafters that had several giant leaves tied at the bottom. "Don't worry" Antony said, "we'll make another leaf hammock for you." Other than that, the room was simple, two windows on two walls, and a dresser for standard clothes. On top of the dresser was a painted picture of a man and a woman.

"Who are they?" Kai asked.

"My parents. They are no longer alive", Antony said sadly. A glazed look slid over his face as his eyes spaced out as though he was watching a movie. "But that is a story for another time", he said unknowingly.

"I see. I'm sorry" Kai said softly. He timidly put a comforting hand on Antony's shoulder.

After a pause, Antony came back to reality and mumbled "thanks. Erm, well I guess I should probably go start making your leaf hammock. Yeah…" And the two exited the room and walked downstairs. The golden afternoon was upon the farm and the light shined in through the windows of the cottage. Uncle was sitting on the davenport with a rock in one hand sharpening a knife in the other. "Uncle, I'm going to go construct a leaf hammock for Kai, I'll be back in a few hours". He walked out the door.

"Well Kai, tomorrow you got a big day, so lets a-get tellin' you some culture of our society" Uncle said.

Kai began "Yeah, I was wondering if you could tell me about the gods first." He said this in truth, because he did want to know, as he wanted to build his life. But part of him wanted to ask more about Antony's parents, and the family. "Yesterday you mentioned Kormir, but I know she isn't the on-"

"Yeah, yeah" Uncle interrupted, "We're getting' there, now let me explain." Uncle took a deep breath and began his explanation.


	3. Chapter 3

Fate Is Made, Not Written

Chapter III – Explain and Decide

"Well, as you may or may not have figured" Uncle said, "There are gods in our world. They are very real and very much so play a role in the world of Tyria and in the way of life of humans. By the way would you like something to drink?"

"Sure" Kai answered. Uncle went to the cabinet in the kitchen and got two glasses. He went outside for a moment and returned with two mangos. He pulverized them and squeezed the drained juice into the cups.

"Mango juice?" he offered, handing Kai a cup. Kai nodded and took the cup; he was a little startled by how cold the cup was. Alas, it was refreshing to have cold mango juice and he started to drink.

"Thanks. So there are gods, but how many are there and what exactly is it that they do and what does it have to do with a profession that you mentioned?" Kai asked followed by another sip of juice. He waited in anticipation for a response as Uncle took his time drinking the juice.

"Well, there are six gods" Uncle said. "Let's start with Dwayna. Dwayna is a mighty goddess who is as caring as she is beautiful. Her domain is over air, life, healing and protection. You'll be able to identify her statue on account o' all her statues have wings. She bestows her gift of life and saving grace to people. When a boulder comes a' rollin' down a hill and someone doesn't get hit by it, they thank Dwayna because they aint' dead. Next we got Balthazar, god of war, fire, bravery and courage. He fuels people with a fire inside, and a burning courage. Of course, during times of war, he does not have allegiance to either side. In human conflict, both sides pray for him to turn the tide of battle. Now all those who die in a war, or die in general, 'at's where Grenth comes in. Grenth is the god of cold, darkness, death, and ice. Now that's not to say he's bad. See there was a god before Grenth, he went by the name of Dhuum. He was cruel, and merciless, so the rest of the gods decided to replace him with Grenth for Dhuum's wicked ways. When someone dies, Grenth welcomes him or her with an embrace to the afterlife.

One of the six who's very important in my life is Melandru; proof is our front yard. Melandru is the goddess of nature, fauna, earth, and growth. Without Melandru's blessings, our mango orchard wouldn't grow, giving us no income. Luckily, we do receive her graces and our farm thrives. If we didn't have her blessings I don't know how our farm would survive. We could have a bad crop, a bad rain, a bad soil, anything can happen; so with Melandru's blessing, it won't. Anyway, then we have Lyssa, or Lyss if you are from Vabbi. Lyssa is the twin goddess of beauty, art, crafting, illusion and water. She helps those see their true selves with her mirror of water. Or if you are too foolish, you see the illusion. Regardless, art is reality while it is an illusion. Blacksmiths and armories as well as actors and painters all pray to her. In Lyssa's eyes, both are art forms. Now this is a good way to segue into the next one. Before there was Kormir, which you have heard about already, there was another god, Abaddon. He used to be the god of water and secrets; he also supposedly gave the gift of magic to the people. However, he was evil. He had followers who worshipped him exclusively, and by this he tried to revolt and gain control over the rest of the gods. He failed, was imprisoned, tried to come back then was defeated and the shadow was gone while the power remained. This is where Kormir took it upon herself as a sacrifice to absorb the power and gain her seat as a god. She is the goddess of order, spirit, and truth. No secret harm shall ever come to her people again. With no sense of physical sight, she sees the truth beyond sight. Right, well… those are the gods, any questions?"

"I-I think I got it all, so what do they have to do with the professions you mentioned?" Kai asked, taking another sip. "I think Antony told me about what he does already. A paragon he called it…. I think. It sounded like he really thrives in what he does."

"Well," Uncle said, "as I said before professions are what you are skilled in or have a gift in. Each profession has certain devotions to each of the gods for their requirement. Some align themselves with one god while others to multiple. So since you already know about the paragon profession, I don't have to tell you much what the do. Paragons, with spear in hand, shine as a beacon of light in battle. They are the guardian angels of Elona. With rallying shouts they drive their comrades into combat and with encouragement and motivation, they are true leaders on the battlefield. When times seem dim, their echo is still heard pleading for their allies to continue the fight. Their alignment lies with Balthazar, Dwayna and Kormir.

The warrior is a mighty fighter skilled with the many weapons. Charging into battle with harsh physical strength and a bold heart, warriors wield a sword, hammer, or axe. Looking out for comrades, the call out tactics to turn the tide of conflict as they mow through the toughest of armored foes with their incredible strength. With courage and bravery flowin' through them, warriors pray to Balthazar in hopes for a quick victory.

Of course some like to fight at a range. With knowledge of the natural world, rangers use their expertise of the wilderness to survive. Rangers wield two instruments of war in battle: the bow and arrow and an animal familiar who fights by their side. With excellent marksmanship they fight from a distance while their loyal companions fight in a melee style. Rangers commune with Melandru to call forth spirits of nature to change the surroundings of battle, or maybe to lure the enemy into a trap so they will meet their demise", Uncle explained as Antony came through the door carrying two large leaves. As he walked past the table to the stairs, he glanced at Kai, giving a faint smile, and then he disappeared up the staircase. Time was passing rapidly as Uncle taught and explained the massive amount of information to Kai. It was late morning by now and almost midday. Still thirsty, the two downed the last of their mango juice. Uncle took the two cups and put them on the counter, quickly stepped outside and came back with two mangos for juice.

"Now these next two are erm… well foreign." Uncle said, sitting down again with fresh juice in both cups. "In old times, these professions used to be prevalent. I guess the teachings were lost or somethin' 'n now all that remains are a few scrolls of information about them and some techniques for them to use. We did see a few come to help us fight Nightfall, but they are still a rare sight. So first of these two, are the assassins. Hiding in the shadows, they stalk their pray, waiting and striking when the time is right. With daggers in hand, they sneak up behind their opponent and deliver combinations of critical strikes, eliminating the target before it is even aware of them. They pay homage to Lyssa to perform deadly hexes, giving their targets illusions of safety and they strike, then recede to the shadows to recover and regain strength. Once safely in the shadows, they pray to Grenth to accept the kill with open arms. The other of our uncommon professions is to be a ritualist. To be a ritualist means to be one with the spirit world. A ritualist is constantly communing with the spirits and bringing them forth back to the world of the living or channeling their energy of the spirit world itself to dispose of foes. They constantly spawn spirits from the spirit world to strengthen their bond with it. However, because they spawned the spirit, they have dominance over it and can manipulate it to their will, even so far as to take its life force and place the spirit back to the spirit world while transferring the life to an ally to heal a wound. The bond with the spirit world does not stop here. There are many people who have made an impact on this world and in civilization, the ritualist can call upon their spirit as an urn of ashes to empower them and call them to battle once again. Due to the strong connection with death the ritualist pays patronage to Grenth, constantly exchanging spirits with him."

"Hmm", Kai said. "That one… the ritualist, sounds quite interesting actually, pretty unfortunate that no one can teach me. Do they just not want to spread the knowledge?

"I don' really know" Uncle sighed. "It would be a great help, knowledge belongs to everyone. Not just one person." The sound of footsteps filled the room as Antony came down the stairs only to exit the house again. Kai thought about what Uncle's statement. He agreed in silence that knowledge does indeed belong to everyone. Uncle continued, "Now monks are very important, not just for what they do but because they also serve as a direct connection to the gods. Monks commit themselves to the gods completely and receive divine favor in return. They pray to the gods and in return receive protection and healing for themselves and those around them. Keeping everyone around them in mind is important; however healing them isn't the only way that a monk can do that. Protection can be seen two ways, protecting an ally by stopping them from being injured, or eliminating the threat before it can have the opportunity to cause harm. If an enemy is a clear and present danger, a monk will smite it down before disaster can strike. Monks pray to Dwayna for hope and guidance and to Balthazar for justice.

Now there is dark magic. But just because it is dark doesn't mean it is necessarily evil. Through sacrifice, necromancers are masters of death. The blood running through their very bodies serves as a tool to commune with death. They may lose blood, but they will get it back eventually, from a foe that is. Necromancers call upon death itself to combat enemies, hexing and cursing them until their physical body falls wherein the necromancer will reap the soul for more power. To add insult to injury after the body has fallen, a talented spellcaster will horrifically weave the body back to life and order the impure being to do the master's bidding. Death is cold and masked in shadow and when it strikes it hurts, but necromancers know that when they take a life, their god Grenth will deal with the soul in the next world."

Kai continuously and attentively listened to all that Uncle had to say. He hadn't heard about a profession that he loved yet or one that he could really see himself doing. Finding himself growing bored, he stretched his arms as Uncle went on more about necromancers. Kai had to convince himself that there was still more to hear and hopefully a profession would strike his intrigue. Uncle began again "The mind is a vast and confusing place, much goes on there, and it is a mesmer's job to fool it. Mesmers are quick casters; they have a job to do and who can do it first wins. In a duel, whoever casts the fastest spell has domination over the fray. Not only will a Mesmer dominate the battle, but the foe's mind as well, dealing as much damage as quickly as possible. If that wasn't enough, a Mesmer will try to baffle the opponent by confusing the five senses to make what isn't real seem real with illusions. Imagine all of a sudden feeling sick or like you are shackled to the floor when a few moments ago you weren't. Pretty intense, right? That's a little difference between a mesmer and a necromancer; necromancers actually give you the illness and a mesmer just makes you think you have it! Now mesmers draw inspiration from Lyssa to keep going and keep casting. The job must be done and Lyssa allows them to keep going. A Mesmer knows beauty and battle is in the eye of the beholder, and as long as they have control, they are the beholder. Whew, how many has tha' been?"

"Eight, Uncle." Kai responded.

"Wonderful" Uncle said, "only two left. Elementalists, as you can probably gather from the name, command the four elements to their will. Each of the magical disciplines be it air, earth, fire, or water has its advantage on the battlefield. With air magic, an elementalist can call down lightning to stun a foe or blast them off their feet with a gust of wind. The electricity can slip behind an enemy's armor for a direct hit as the electric currents travel through the body. If that doesn't work, an elementalist will move the earth beneath an army's feet in a massive quake. While sending out ripples across the earth an elementalist will encase an ally's body or their own body with earth for extra protection as multiple enemies come at them. If an elementalist really feels the pressure of numbers and the odds are against them, the will of fire will come to blast away entire battalions of foes. Be it calling fire from the sky or encircling themselves with an inferno of flames, the enemy numbers will be cut in half or more. Because it can take a while to cast some of the massive incantations, many casters will use water magic to keep an enemy at bay long enough to bring out the massive spells. Ice and snow will bombard foes, freezing their muscles or mist and fog filled air will fumble attacks due to failed accuracy. Elementalists pray to Dwayna for mastery of air, Melandru to move her earth, Balthazar to fuel their flame, and Grenth for his frigid gaze. Now all this magic can be quite draining and exhausting, so elementalists will also look to Lyssa to increase the vastness of their minds to leave more room for more magic. With a skilled elementalist, the tide of battle can be changed in an instant with their massive arsenal of spells. At last, the final profession to teach you about!"

"Well, what is it!" Kai asked, excitement building.

Uncle began, "In Elona's vast desert and history of instability, one of the things that remained stable was the will of the Dervish amidst the conflicts and war. Dervishes are holy warriors sent by the gods to punish and scatter evil to the wind. With strong mystic belief in the gods, they feel each god's presence around them and filling them with the strength to fight. The weapon of choice is the massive scythe, to reap evil away from the world. Balthazar guides the swift blade of justice to cut down enemies around the dervish. All it takes is a swift turn with a scythe reaching out to slice away a group of foes. Dervishes place powerful enchantments on themselves and their blades as direct gifts from the gods to work their wonders. They pray to Melandru for her to grant earth's protection, fortification and strength. They call for blessings of Dwayna's wind to invoke a cold enchantment on their blade or to enable speed to chase evil. Dervishes pray to all the gods, not just Dwayna and Melandru. Because dervishes are sent straight from the gods, the also serve as a vessel for the gods. A dervish can channel all the might of a god into their body and become a fully realized avatar of that god. If that isn't the most holy strike against evil, I don't know what is. With the gods supporting them from behind, under, around, and above them a dervish prays and calls to the wind and earth and the fierce sandstorm responds in all its fury." Uncle took a deep breath and sighed. "Well that's all of them, now think about which one you could see yourself being."

Kai sat in the chair, a light behind his eyes. Something about being a dervish sounded really fulfilling, but some others sounded just as glorious. He knew he would have to put some serious thought into this major decision. It was after midday and his stomach was beginning to ache. All of a sudden he heard a low grumble. "Oh my!" Uncle chuckled, patting his belly "I guess it's time to eat. Howbout some lunch?" Kai nodded in agreement. As Uncle got up to go start preparing lunch, Antony came in the door with multiple giant leaves under his arms and some coiled rope underneath his right arm. His shirt was wet with sweat, Kai knew he was working hard to make this new bed by the expression on his face. The expression read that there was a job that needed to be done.

"Perfect timin' Antony, we are starting lunch now." Uncle said. "Come down after you put those upstairs." Antony nodded as he headed toward the stairs. "Kai, please head out to the grove to gather some more mango for juice to drink while I head to the cellar to get lunch."

"How many should I get? And how will I know if they are ripe?" Kai asked.

"Get six, and you will know that they are ripe when they are a little squishy" Uncle replied. Kai stepped out the door, his head still buzzing with information. Everything was so new. A new surrounding, a new culture, a future that he would never have thought would come to pass. It was so much to take in at once; he felt his shoulders sink as it really sank in how overwhelming everything was. He walked the rows of the orchard with a blank stare. He meandered up a random row to gather some mangos. As he walked, a new thought occurred to him, what had happened before he was in the sea? Did he have a life washing upon the shores of Istan? Sure, Uncle and Antony were helping him weave a new life, but what was or possibly still is, he wondered. He questioned if this was his fate, to begin anew, finding new meaning in life, or maybe he should have just drowned at sea. And now in addition to this, the fact that he knew he wanted to make something of this life now that it he was here, he had a major decision to make. Kai felt his adrenaline rising as all these thoughts took hold of him. He began to fall into a frantic pace as his heart began to race. Feeling the sense of exasperation and emotional pressure, he lost control of direction and let his feet just carry him. Out of breath, he slumped down the trunk of a mango tree, and lay half way up, sprawled onto the ground. Moments of utter silence passed, save the ambiance of nature around him. Helplessly, he stared at the tops of the row of trees in front of him.

All of a sudden a bird plummeted from the sky, falling into the tree in front of him. The branches broke the fall, and the bird slid down the trunk of the tree. It gave a faint chirp, a yelp expressing its crippling despair. The chirp dwindled and faded. A few minutes of stillness passed. Then, with a flapping of wings, four more birds, each clutching an area of a vine in their beaks landed next to the fallen bird. They huddled around their injured fellow and raised their wings, and lowered them onto the fallen one. The wrapped part of the vine under the wounded birds wings as the bird joined in taking a piece of the vine into its beak. All the birds chirped at once before taking off, carrying their injured friend off home. The sight was both odd and peaceful at the same time. Kai took a deep breath. He was relieved that the small bird was alright.

Kai raised his arm and wiped away the beads of sweat from his brow. His episode of hyperventilation was over. He had no idea how long he had been gone and he still needed to find mangos and bring them back to the house. Kai gathered his strength, stood up and walked to the nearest tree. He tested the mangos, found eight and placed them in his pockets and began walking back to the house. As he walked back, Kai reflected on what just happened. Whether or not he was truly ready to forge ahead into the future remained to be seen. Regardless, decisions still had to be made. He decided that he would face whatever happens in the future when it comes, but when it came to a crossroads for decision-making, he would need to think about all options thoroughly. A slight breeze comforted him as he walked past the rows of the orchard. He hopped up the small porch steps and opened the door to the house. Uncle and Antony were at the counter, finishing up preparing lunch.

"Ah good, you're back" Uncle said, scooping something from a bowl onto the three plates. "Lunch'll be ready in a minute." Antony was still busy chopping something and didn't even look up when the door opened. Kai placed the mangos on the counter.

"I brought two extra mango, so we don't have to keep going out to the orchard." Kai said.

"Wonderful, thank you" Uncle commented as Antony squeezed the mangos and brought the juice to the table along with a pitcher of water. "We made enough of lunch to have some more for dinner later. Well let's eat," he continued, bringing plates to the table, Antony assisting him. The three sat down at the table, Kai looked at his plate. He didn't know exactly what he was looking at. Some kind of grain, with some green plants chopped up in it, and some pieces of meat, and some tomatoes maybe. On the side of the plate there was some kind of ground up tan colored mush. "This is a traditional Istani dish called ba'a'ha. It is tiny wheat balls, with parsley, cucumber, mint, tomato, onion and meat; in this case chicken. It is seved with hummus, or ground chickpeas. I hope you will enjoy it. Eat up." Kai took a bite. It was very flavorful and savory. His first real meal, other than just eating mango, was delicious. The three were happily eating. "Good, yes?" Uncle said. Kai nodded.

"So, I finished building your bed Kai" Antony said. "It's in my room," he added, "I also got some extra sheets for you from the cabinet."

"Thank you, thank you very much" Kai said graciously. He took another bite of food.

"So Uncle finished telling you about the profession branches to be a Sunspear?" Antony inquired. Kai swallowed his bite of food and nodded. "Good, good," he continued, "what do you find yourself being?"

"I don't really know," Kai answered, "as fascinating as magic is I don't think I would be very good at it. I also don't know if I have what it takes to lead. Maybe somewhere in between… I just need to think about it. I really want to do magic, I do, but it seems incredibly challenging. I still have a lot of thinking to do. All I know is I want to protect people."

"Well, protecting people is what Sunspears do so regardless you will protect people, just like I do. As much as I would like to be able to help you decide, it is not my place to sway your decision. This choice must be made alone, it may even come to you while you are drowsy or asleep. Whatever path you find yourself on, you will be a strong addition to the Sunspears." Antony said. Kai felt his turmoil quell a bit. But this all still seemed so daunting. The three continued to enjoy their meal.

"Tomorrow, we will go into town." Uncle said. "Just wait 'til you see it. the center of the island: the port city Kamadan, Jewel of Istan. It is quite a site to see. It really is the center of civilization on the island. It is the where the Sunspears speak with the Consulate and where travelers come in. Crafters, armories, blacksmiths, a marketplace; you name it, it's there. Speaking of which, you boys should harvest the fruit from the trees so we can sell some in the bazaar. Kai, you have until tomorrow to figure out your next step in your future. Make your decision by the time you wake up and we will register you with First Spear Dehvad after we set up shop in the marketplace. He will inform the Sunspear Council, comprised of the heroes who ended Nightfall, and you will be a registered Sunspear, ready to begin lessons in the afternoon. So as soon as you are finished eating, please begin harvesting until suppertime."

Everyone ate until finished and Antony and Kai stepped out to the orchard. Antony retrieved two woven baskets from the shed and they started picking mango for the next day. Kai was shown how to really pick the ripest mango, as Antony placed some more in his basket. Up and down the rows they went gathering the produce. As the sun set beneath the horizon, they finished and retreated back to the house, baskets full. They placed sheets on top of the basket, so bugs wouldn't get inside. It was time for supper, which was very filling after an afternoon in the field. Uncle had Antony show Kai how to take water from the aqueduct and purify it for drinking. Kai was happy that he had something to drink besides mango juice for the first time in a few days. He could tell that the family really used the fruits of their labor to the maximum extent. After dinner Antony brought his spear down to sharpen while Uncle recited the story of Nightfall to Kai as all three sat around the fireplace. When the moon was high over head, the house went to sleep. Kai's leaf hammock was extremely comfortable. He and Antony said goodnight to each other.

Kai listened to the faint sound of waves crashing on the shore as they tried to not be covered up by the soft sound of the waterwheel flowing and passing water to the aqueduct. He lay awake trying to figure out what to do. He had to know where he would place himself as an asset to the Sunspears by morning. Its true, he did want to do magic, he just didn't see himself being a great weaver of spells. Neither did he see himself as a great leader like a brave warrior or saving paragon. He thought hard to remember each of the qualities and descriptions that Uncle had told him. And true, he did have the gods to thank for a second chance at life. They washed him on the shore for Uncle and Antony to find. 'What profession would please the gods?' he thought to himself. Then he remembered that some professions use magic too, just not as a main source of firepower. 'What would honor the gods, let me do some magic and pack a punch to the enemies?' he continued to think. The minutes went by as he tried to think long and hard about this. His mind was beginning to wander. He could tell that it was getting later as the air in the room got colder from outside. The water sounded so peaceful and serene. His eyes were beginning to droop with exhaustion. He heard Antony rustle in his bed, turning onto his side. Why was he thinking about everything else? He needed to focus. Coming back to reality he thought about his little list of requirements he had made. He thought and thought and thought until he had come to a conclusion. He would be a messenger of the Gods, sent on a holy mission to banish evil. A dervish, a holy warrior. He would fight for the gods, and for the Sunspears. He felt a wave of relief and he knew he would battle evil and darkness, after he got whatever was left of a good night's sleep he could.


	4. Chapter 4

Fate Is Made, Not Written

Chapter IV – Jewels and Blades

Sunlight poured into the bedroom. It was morning. The foul stench of the morning air hesitated in the room. The smell wasn't actually bad really, it just meant that it was time to get up soon to start the day. A rustling noise filled the room.

"Kai, you awake yet?" Antony asked. There was no reply. "You awake yet?" he said a little louder. Kai rustled in his bed and grumbled something that was unable to be understood. "Come on then, we should get moving soon. We need to help Uncle load up the cart and get to Kamadan. Kai remained still in his bed for another few minutes. Antony had already gotten out of his bed and was getting ready for the day. "Come on, get outta' bed slacker, you got a big day ahead of you." Antony said playfully. Finally Kai dragged his body out of the giant leaf hammock. The two young men folded their sheets and left them in the bed. Kai began to get dressed and ready for the day. Antony went to the bathroom as Kai put on the clothes that Antony had lain out for him to borrow. Antony came back from the bathroom and asked, "So did you find out which path you will take as a profession?"

"Yes, it took a while for me to decide though. I was up pretty late trying to make the decision" Kai replied.

"Well, what did you decide?" Antony pressed on.

"Um… well, I decided to choose the path of the dervish." Kai responded.

"Nice choice," Antony commented. "For some reason I thought you would be more of a backline fighter, I guess I was wrong. Well, may the gods smile upon you as you begin your path. Who knows I may even see you in training one day, or even my squad."

"Yeah, maybe…" Kai chuckled. The two headed downstairs to meet Uncle for a surprising breakfast of mango and sweetbread. Uncle greeted them cheerfully. They ate, and then loaded up the cart with the baskets of mango and other necessary items such as the sales banner and rope as Uncle had instructed them to.

"So are we going to have to push this cart all the way to town?" Kai asked.

"Nah, Uncle has gone to go charm a moa," Antony answered.

"What a who?" Kai asked, very confusedly. He had no idea what Antony was talking about. Or if he even might have known, before the accident.

"Oh yeah, sorry. Forgot." He started apologetically. "Uncle was going to be a Sunspear when he was younger and growing up, just like his younger brother, my dad. When grandpa died, he had to help grandma run the family farm. At the time he had trained to dual in professions. Uncle was tackling the role of an elementalist as well as the clever and spiritual side of the ranger profession. He never finished his training so he never got very skilled at either of them. Before he had learned to do most of the flashiest stuff he had to quit, although he did learn some tricks to help the farm along even in a bad growing season. He was called back from duty for the funeral and sent in his letter to the Sunspears telling them how he had to help grandma take care of the farm and help raise my dad. When grandma died he took over the farm completely while my dad joined the Sunspears. So rangers, like uncle told you have a real connection with animals. Rangers just understand them, and the animals trust rangers. Rangers can ask animals to help them with whatever they need, but they have to gain the trust of the animal by charming them, not with magic, but with spirit. Oh, here he comes now."

Uncle walked from the side of the house past the front of the orchard to the edge of the porch, where the cart was. He held the reins attached to a creature walking behind him. It was a bird with two faded gold colored long legs and big talons. It had feathers around its plump mid section, wings and the back of its long neck that were varying shades of brown. On its front side of its neck were white, very soft looking feathers. It had a long hooked beak and very menacing, yet kind eyes. The back of the bird's head had feathers sticking straight out and up.

"Isn't she a beauty" Uncle said with giddy might. "Isn't she just beautiful? I found her in the meadow on the edge of the brush."

"She sure is a nice one" They both replied.

"See, moa birds aren't really found in Elona" Uncle told Kai, "but when Nightfall was upon us and allies flocked from Tyria and Cantha, some brought livestock with them. I guess this moa must have been set loose when her owner was called to battle. Anyway, she said she would help us today with the cart. Make sure you two thank her." He tied the reins to the cart and fastened them tightly. The group set off to town. Uncle was on point for the group in the front with the moa and the two boys were in the back, making sure to reacquire anything that fell out of the cart.

"One thing about moas" Antony said quietly, " You _do not_ want to aggravate or insult them, that is, unless you want a huge gash in your arm or to be pecked to death."

"Oh man" Kai said surprised. "Thanks for the warning." They continued walking on the beaten path to town. Beautiful foliage lined the path lush, green and full of life.

"So, how have you been feeling since, you know…" Antony asked.

"I guess I'm doing alright," Kai said meekly. "I really appreciate what you and Uncle have done for me. If you hadn't found me, well…" he paused. "I probably wouldn't be alive. Even if I did somehow wake up myself and try to get going, I probably wouldn't have lasted long. To tell you the truth I forgot a lot more than just memories, I forgot how to do things too. I just re-learned them from watching Uncle, and surprisingly quick too. I think my body remembered how to do things, I just didn't."

"Good to hear that you are at least alright" Antony said, with clarity. With boldness he said, "No big deal about taking care of you, it is the Istani and Sunspear way. But be prepared, you are about to head into a whole new world right now: integration back into civilization" he continued, patting Kai on the back. "When we get to town, don't be too overwhelmed. I'll take you around town before we go see First Spear Dehvad to enlist you. You spend a lot of time in town trust me. It's important to know what is happening on the island, as well as a place to relax outside the house. You'll see what I mean after you start training."

"Alright. Cool. I'm a little nervous about being a Sunspear" Kai said.

"Don't be, you have nothing to worry about. A lot of people become Sunspears because they don't know what else to do. Gives you a chance to travel the world too, an option many people do not have." Antony assured him. "People from all walks of life: poor, rich, Istani, Kournan, Vabbian, or even those not from this continent choose to join the Order of the Sunspears. You never know who you will meet or who will be in your squad, or who you will be fighting next to on the battlefield."

"Well I hope it wont be so awkward when I meet my fellow recruits." Kai said. "How exactly does everything work?"

"Our base of operations is the Sunspear Great Hall, which is a little ways outside of town. There are a few different training methods that everyone has. Strength and endurance are done as a division, with everyone in your rank."

"Rank?" questioned Kai.

"Everyone in the Sunspears has a rank. This means that the more you do and the harder you work and the more effort you put, you rise in rank over time. So, for this training you are a recruit so you will train with fellow recruits doing recruit level activities until you rise in rank. Some will improve faster than others. In this training, you will train mostly with your recruit class. Now each profession has a line of mentors and leading the departmental faction, so to speak, is one of the great heroes who ended Nightfall. The head of your department is Melonni, and eventually you will have a lesson with her. The sooner you improve the sooner you will achieve higher intellect and will be enabled to proceed with more advanced training. Think of it like one on one lessons, specifically for your profession. You will start with one mentor and gradually move up until you are under Melonni's mentorship. One of the most important functions of the Sunspears is your squad. Squads consist of four people. With your squad you will undergo tactical and strategic training which will give you the tools and knowledge of how to analyze battle situations and turn the tables in combat. Your teachers will watch you here and eventually you will have ranking in your squad. Someone will be assigned a first spear position for leadership, and second spear to be second in command should anything happen to the first spear. Missions have different, well ranking, too. Lower class missions you will do with your squad alone, some middle ranking missions you might accompany another squad, and high class missions and war rank missions you will be assigned a captain, someone who is higher ranked than your squad and has achieved captain rank or higher to lead your squad. I think that's about it."

"Wow, that's a lot" Kai said.

"Yeah, but you will get used to it. We don't have some training every day, and some training forms are only weekly, like your profession lessons. We get days off a lot too.

"When do I know who is in my squad?" Kai asked?

"You won't know for a few days, they have to discuss who should be placed where and place them correctly, squads are for the most part permanent. They have to see who works well together and who will be a strong force as a battalion. You will be spending a lot of time with your squad, so bond well with them!" Antony answered. The group had been walking for a while, but something could be seen in the distance, they were almost there. In a short time they had reached the gates. Uncle cleared everything with the guards and checked everything on the cart to make sure everything was there.

With an outstretched arm, Uncle said, "Welcome to Kamadan, Jewel of Istan." Kai walked through the gate. He looked around and saw that Kamadan was way beyond his wildest imagination. Multi tiered cliffs lined the perimeter, giant statues of men holding spears could be seen on them. Several kinds of trees, plants, and grass patches could be seen scattered across the area. At the far end he could see another gate, and just before it was a clearing. To the right of the clearing some people were standing with stacks of items as well as items on racks. He couldn't make out what it was because it was too far away. Some vegetation was blocked what was to the left of the clearing. He could see two things that were closer him though, to his left was a large building with several open windows. It had massive pillars and was made out grey stone. Two huge stone doors served as an entryway. To his right was an enormous canopy, with three sturdy poles in the center to hold it up and smaller poles holding the outside stretched out. He could see many vendors there, each with their own cart; this was obviously the marketplace. Kadamadan wasn't exactly a barren town. In fact it was rather crowded, people moving from one end to the other. It was pretty loud too, after all this was a social hub on the island.

"Alright" Uncle said as they walked toward the marketplace, "help me set up and then you two go take care of the business that you need to." They found an open spot in the bazaar and unfolded the cart. Uncle tied the moa to a pole as Kai helped Antony hang up the sign. The mangos were set on display, Uncle thanked them for their assistance and they went off into the town.

"Here, let me show you around the town" Antony said, and the two set off. They walked towards the center of town. "This is the Consulate. Here the Council of Elders guide and govern the people. Beyond the doors laws are made, trials are given, and programs for domestic affairs are developed for the betterment of Istani society. That's also where the heads of the Sunspears speak with the Council of Elders about any protection that is needed for the island or should we be required to go to war, like we eventually had to with Kourna during Nightfall."

"How big is Kourna?" Kai asked?

"It's pretty big, it takes up a lot of the mainland of Elona. Most land southeast of the uninhabitable desert sulfurous wasteland, The Desolation, is Kourna. The country of Vabbi is north of Kourna. That's pretty much all of the countries in Elona. Oh, I mentioned the Consulate is where the Sunspears meet with the Council of Elders; Sunspears protect all of Elona, not just Istan. Our base of operations is just on Istan because we were founded here. Istan has no formal military so we protect it from the corsairs that are trying to take over. If we weren't here, Istan might as well be a corsair controlled island." Antony said.

"Well, I guess that's a good thing right? Who are the corsairs again?" Kai asked.

"Pirates. The pillage the entire island, looking to take it over."

"Oh I see." Kai said.

"Lets go to the docks" Antony said. They walked towards the opposite end of the forum from which they had entered. "We have three docks. The Consulate docks, mainly used for missions, immigration, and emigration, the Sun docks, which are standard docks for port, and the local docks that are used for merchants, sailors, minor travel and fisherman. The Consulate dock also acts as our dock for the Sunspear fleet to go on missions." Kai could just barely see the Consulate docks as the physical Consulate building blocked most of it. He made out the edge of a ship in his line of sight, but most of it was blocked. The Sun docks appeared calm and empty with the sun shining happily down upon them. The docks immediately blended into grassy land that they fed into.

"One day I guess I'll be setting sale on those docks" Kai sighed, with his eyes going out of focus.

"Yes sir, you will be" Antony commented. They walked toward the local docks, trees providing shade against the sun. The docks were small and the boats surrounding it were small, as though one-man canoes. Branches from the trees were long and flowing, as they gently waved in the soft breeze. As they swayed back and forth, small streams of light flooded the docks and disappeared as though playing a children's hopping game. It looks like a deep bog. Algae covered the dock posts and a marshy shore forced boats to not run ashore. When they approached, they saw a person, dressed in a long, very dark gray cloak getting out of a boat and walking onto the docks. The hood covered their face and the only part of the face visible was their mouth. Whoever it was completely concealed. What struck Kai's interest was a thin strand of teal-blue light that wrapped around the sleeves of the cloak and came together at the center where a strange necklace dangled on the figure round the neck. There was something eerie about it. Pieces of bones lined the strand of black woven threads that held it. As they got closer they saw shells, wood, beach glass, and beads on the necklace joined the bones. The cloaked individual had two guards as company. Although they didn't wear cloaks, they wore some sort of an armored vest, arms exposed with a hood coming down, hiding their faces. By their high stature and physical appearance, they were not to be trifled with. Their biceps were easily the width of a small pillar. They looked like a group that was not to be trifled with.

Antony and Kai continued walking past the docks and to the far end where a short, slightly plump, agitated looking man stood in front of a large wooden gate. They walked towards him.

"Good morning First Spear Dehvad" Antony said, saluting him.

"Ahai Sunspear, and it is no longer morning, it is now noon, and in truth the afternoon. You should know this, you area Sunspear who has to be on time to report for duty!" he said with a hint of annoyance. He had a very nasal high-pitched voice that seemed to be paired perfectly with his appearance. His blue, cone like had completely covered his forehead. Surprisingly, he was raising an eyebrow so much it lifted the hat and made it appear lopsided.

"Yes, why yes it is. Please excuse my incorrect analysis of the time of day" Antony replied, kindly.

"Well, I don't have all day, I am waiting for the new group of recruits, what is it that you want?" Dehvad said harshly.

"Well, I'll make it brief then" he replied. "I have a new recruit for you" he nudged Kai Forward.

"Good morning First Spear Dehvad!" as Kai said, attempting to seem enthusiastic while saluting him. With boldness in his voice, he continued, "I wish to join the ranks of the Sunspears and defend Istan and Elona!" He was nervous. He had just realized that he had pretty much just screamed at the man who was to be recruiting him, which he feared would not go over well. Dehvad clearly was a man that you had to watch what you say and when you say it when talking to him. Even the slightest word said wrong would set him off. Dehvad raised his other eyebrow.

"My, my, aren't we a little too excited to be a soldier?" Dehvad said nastily. Kai felt his heart in his throat.

"Um, well… Yes I-" Kai stuttered

"Yes he is Dehvad" Antony said smiling. "After all, an enthusiastic recruit does make for an eager student and therefore a better soldier."

"Whatever. As long as he follows orders. What profession is he?" Dehvad inquired.

"D-Dervish, sir" Kai stammered.

"Fine. Bring armor and your weapon. I'll put you in the next draft section which is in," he unfurled a scroll, "TWO HOURS?" he screamed, rolling the scroll up. "We just had one. Who schedules these things so close together? Someone is going to be in big trouble!"

Antony coughed. "Sir…"

Kai was as still as a statue, and eyes wide. This was it, his life was over. He began foreseeing horrible things. First Spear Dehvad was going to kill them right there. Because Antony had suggested that he should get to the point… they were going to die a horrible death of yelling.

"WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE, WHAT DO YOU WANT?" Dehvad yelled. Kai glanced over at Antony, he could see him grinning and starting to snicker at the situation.

"Don't forget to take his name down before we leave, sir. See you in a couple hours." And they walked away from Dehvad whose ears were still steaming and face still scrunched and red with rage.

"Man, what is that guy's problem?" Kai asked Antony as they walked away. "I was sure you were going to make him explode, I thought we were done for."

"Haha, well, that's First Spear Dehvad for you." Antony chuckled. "We should get some lunch before your draft." They started walking back toward the marketplace. "He's quite interesting isn't he?"

"Interesting is certainly one way to put it." Kai said, flustered.

"Everyone just kinda, puts up with him. He has been a grumpy old man since I started in the Sunspears, and those before me said he has been that way since they were there. I assume he hasn't always been like this but, who knows."

"I'm surprised he doesn't scare everyone away before they can even join."

"Some think it's the first test, see if you can handle being a Sunspear. If he scares you away, maybe you can't handle battle, but if you stand your ground to him, you can stand your ground on the battlefield. That's what some people say anyway…"

"He scared me, but I still stayed" Kai's stomach was beginning to ache with hunger.

"Yeah, you stayed. Now you get to join us." Antony said as they walked under the shade of the marketplace's canopy. They went to a booth and traded some mango Antony had in his pocket for some lunch. They had lemon and herb meat kabobs with yellow rice. The kabobs had onion and chopped parsley garnish. They brought back some to Uncle at his booth and ate lunch with him. Uncle laughed when he heard the story about First Spear Dehvad and commented on how ridiculous that man is. After a satisfying meal, Uncle gave them some money to purchase armor and weaponry at the armory.

Uncle wished Kai good luck on his first day and they wished him good luck with the mango sales. They walked back to the far end, to the area where everything was racked on shelves and stands. Upon arrival a giant, bald man with a great beard greeted Kai and Antony.

"Good afternoon, what can I do for you boys today?" He said with a deep voice.

"Good afternoon Chorben, how is business these days?" Antony greeted him.

"Comes and goes with the recruits as you know. I see each of them before their first lessons and then they go off into the world. Who knows what armor they buy out there, but I know this stuff here holds up real well." Chorben said

"I know, how is Mehinu? At home with the little ones?"

"She is doing well. Yep, she is at home with them today while I hold the shop and take care of business. Thank you for asking" he said graciously.

"Wonderful, well my friend here, has just seen First Spear Dehvad and is scheduled to commence training this afternoon, he needs some weapons and armor." Antony said.

"Hello, I'm Kai, nice to meet you" He said, hand outstretched.

"Nice to meet you Kai, What profession are you prepping to be?" Chorben asked, shaking his hand.

"A Dervish sir." He replied confidently.

"Good. Looks like we have a nice strong young man to learn the ways of an Elonian tradition. So what you are going to need is some foot wrappings and sandals, robes, both bottom and chest of course, cloth vambraces, and of course your hood and scythe. I'll pull out some now." He went to the racks, looked at Kai, muttered something to himself and gathered the armor. Chorben started handing the pieces to Kai to put on. They were a deep silver color. He wrapped the middle of his feet with the wrappings and then again with the sandals. He put on his bottom robe, which had a belt strap and strands of leather hanging down. Antony helped him place his chest plate on his torso. The heaviness of the metal and leather on his shoulders was surprising compared to the simple light shirt he was wearing.

"Now your hood is important, it keeps your eyes hidden from the blazing sun as well as for whatever purposes you need to hide your face for. After all you guys are the grim reapers of the desert, so you need a hood. It's a good thing you know Antony, I gave you my best stuff for a dervish. A friend of his is a friend of mine."

"Thank you sir" Kai said sincerely.

"Now come around the counter and let's get you a scy-… wait," he looked around at the racks only to see spears, swords, shields, staffs and scepters, and bows and quivers. "Oh no, Mehinu must have taken the scythes home for fine tuning while she was with the kids today. I'm so sorry"

Kai felt his body sink. He didn't have a scythe. What was Dehvad going to say when he showed up for recruitment? He could picture it in his head.

"Sorry, you have no scythe. You can't be a Sunspear" Dehvad said, in his obnoxious voice. He started laughing and calling Kai a failure for the first and simplest task." He was sure that was going to happen. Then Antony spoke.

"It's alright Chorben, I'll have a word with Melonni, and she will make arrangements." Antony said.

"Alright then. Well here, take these" Chorben said, and he pulled out some spikes and eye shaped metal rings. He began fastening the spikes to Kai's vambraces and the metal rings to some of the leather straps. "There. Now you got some extra ways to make your point on the battlefield and those rings will ensure that your emblems do not fall off on the field."

"Well thank you, thank you very much" Kai said.

Just then, a young man came swiftly up to the armory and said smugly "Give me your best dervish armor, and make it quick, I have a recruitment to be at shortly" Chorben made a confused face and turned around to get some armor. The young man had a very beak like nose and curly hair that came down just above his brow. It looked very greasy, similar to his presented personality. He came back to the counter with some new armor, and winked at Kai and Antony.

"Here is the best armor I've got in the shop right now." Chorben said, firmly. "I hope you have brought a lot of gold because if you want the best, you need to be able to pay for the best."

"I have the money here", and he reached in his pocket and handed Chorben a large sum of money. The boy quickly suited up, gave the three of them a strange and disapproving look. Without another word he strode off towards the gate.

"What a strange man" Antony said. "What a time he is going to have when he meets his commanders."

"You get all kinds around here and trying to be a Sunspear" Chorben said. "You know that as well as I do Antony."

"You speak the truth," Antony said. "Alright then, time to get going; we need to get Kai to Dehvad about now."

"Thank you again for the armor" Kai said.

"Don't worry about it. Have a great first day" he replied.

"Thanks Chorben, say hello to the family for Uncle and I." Antony said.

Chorben gave a nice friendly discount for the armor and waved at them as they walked toward the gate and Dehvad.

"What are you going to do while I have my recruitment?" Kai asked Antony as they headed toward the big wood gate.

"I've got training today. So after I talk to Melonni, I'll go get the rest of my armor from Uncle's cart and head off to my training. Both of us will not be done until just after sunset. The marketplace doesn't slow down until then anyway, so after today's lessons, we'll head home with Uncle."

"Alright" Kai said, he was starting to tense up. Part of it was excitement, part of it nervousness. Dehvad was in their sight.

"You ready for your first lesson?" Antony asked warmly?

"Yeah, I think so." Kai said, grinning.


End file.
